Proving Innocence
by kylono
Summary: They had been friends for a while now, and still every time he looked at Jack he would get that same strange warm feeling. When Jack is accused for attempt to murder one day, he needs to be helped. Are they able to prove Jack is innocent, or is Jack guilty after all? Modern AU
1. Chapter 1 : Pilot

**Proving Innocence**

_Pilot_

_Hey everyone. Lately I've been with some ideas in my head for a new fic, so here it is. This is just a pilot/prologue chapter to see if you like it or not. I can only say, have fun reading and I hope you like it._

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We have been friends for a long time. I've known him for quite a while now. We live in a small town called Berk. I live together with my dad. I don't know where my mom is. She left when I was still a baby and no one wants to tell me why. My friend and go to the same school. I'm not that kind of guy who attends all the parties or has girls swooning around him. I'm actually pretty quiet. I'm sure most people didn't even know my name until that one day we met.

I had to go to the bathroom really bad so I was running around the corridor. While I was running through the corridor to make it before it'd be to late, I notice the air becomes smoky and I start to cough. At first I think someone is just secretly smoking or something, but when the smoke becomes thicker and breathing becomes harder, I know it has to be something else. I slow down my step and notice it is also becoming harder to see with every passing second. I keep walking in the direction I assume is the source of the smoke. Behind the glass in the door to the boiler, I can just see some small, orange flames raging fiercely. The boiler is the source of heath in the building and due to overuse it apparently has caught fire.

I immediately start to search for the fire alarm closest to where I stand. lucky for me there is one located right next to me. I smash the protection glass and push the button. I expect it to activate the sprinklers and be drenched in water in a couple of seconds, but nothing happens. The alarm can be heard very clear though. It takes a couple of seconds before some doors are opened to look what is happening, followed by the annoying screaming.

On my way to my own classroom to warn them in case they didn't notice, I could see all classes are already empty, but when I walk past the janitor's closet I hear some loud bumping. I walk back to see what it was, and then I heard it again.

"Hello? I someone in here?" I wait nervously. If it was just my imagination toying with my head I am wasting precious time.

"Hello! Thank God! Please get me out of here!" There is someone inside the closet! It sounds like it is a boy.

"Okay wait a minute. I'll figure something out!" Then it dawns to me that I maybe don't even have a minute left. I look around me but there is nothing that could be used to force the door open. I then suddenly remember my key-chain. I get it out of my pocket and look at what I could use. There is something that looks a lot like a pin. I figured that it would do the job. I get down on my knees so I would be on eye-level with the lock. I put the pin in the lock and start to twitch it around in order to force the lock to open.

"Hurry!" He starts to sound anxious.

"Do you want to do it yourself!" It is like I could already feel the still raging fire consuming me. Then there is the awaited "click." The lock clicks and the door flows open. The boy comes tumbling down and falls right on top of me. In reflex I close my eyes. When I still feel the pressure of the boy on my body I open my eyes to look at the boy and the boy is looking back at me. He has brown hair, not as brown as mine, but a lighter version. And his eyes are also a warm, brown color. I could have been lying here forever if it wouldn't be for the fire that is closing in rapidly, and due to fact that he is, well, a guy. But even though he is a guy, I can't ignore that weird feeling inside me. I cough once and it looks like he has gained back control.

"Oh, eh, sorry. And, eh, thanks for saving me" He puts both his hands on the ground behind my head and lifts himself up. He moves his body off of me and get up as well. I start to blush a bit and look away just in time to see the fire.

"You're welcome, but if we don't leave now, we'll end up like the food in the cafeteria." He actually laughs at it before he stood up. He has pearl-white teeth and a really cheerful smile. What is wrong with me? He reaches his hand out for me and pulls me up and I put my keys back in my pocket.

"What now?"

"I don't know, maybe walking?" Great way to be nice to someone. I started to run towards the direction I thought would be one of the exits. I hear how he follows me and I turn a corner. Abruptly I stop and turn around. He bumps into me and looks confused.

"Wrong direction!" He looks behind me and turns around. We turn another corner, again, without luck! We're surrounded by fire. There is nothing left for us to do.

"We're death!" I sigh.

"Not yet." He grabs my arm and pulls me inside one of the classes. There is no one, as expected. Only tables and chairs scattered around. The boy walks to the window and I can only follow. We both look outside and we can see students, teachers, firefighters, police, medics and a couple of curious citizens. The windows are already broken due to the heath. We both yell at the people outside to let them now we're still inside. We are spotted and the firefighters are getting in action. It is impossible for them to get us out with the truck so they prepared an air cushion in order for us to jump down.

"Who is going first?" The brown-haired boy asks a little anxious.

"You can go first." I must feel really helpful today. He nods and walks over to the broken window. He throws his backpack out of it first before he steps inside the window frame and jumps. I look down and see him coming down. The medics immediately walk over to him and help him to one of the ambulances to do a check up.

Now it's my turn. I also throw down my backpack first before I step in the window frame. I look down and notice it's higher than I thought. I feel the fear rushing through mu veins. I suddenly notice the flames have reached the classroom. I am about to jump as my foot slips and my left leg hits something sharp. I feel something penetrating my leg. The sharp pain shoots through my body as I tumble down the building. The whole is turning around me as I make my way down to the cushion. I hear people screaming in the distance and it seems like it is getting further away. Everything is fading before my eyes. My fall stops out of the blue and I hit something soft. I want to move but I can't. There is some vague sound somewhere but I can't seem to hear it. Then there are suddenly hands moving me around and there is a face in front of me. I can see he is shouting my name but my ears don't seem register. Slowly my view fades and I can feel myself slip away before everything is black.

I wake up in a white room. There is a beeping sound next to me. I turn my head slowly and see it's some kind of monitor making the annoying sound. I feel tired and lazy. I close my eyes again and try to sleep, but for some reason I can't. I open my eyes again and stare at the ceiling. When I get tired of looking around I try to get up a bit. I look around and see someone entering the room. It is the boy with brown hair and brown eyes from school. That weird feeling inside me returns and I try to ignore it.

"Hey." He says.

"Hey." I respond.

"How are you feeling?"

"Weird. You?"

"Better. I want to thank you again for getting me out of that closet. I would've been toast if you weren't there." He grabs a chair and puts it down beside the bed.

"You wouldn't have been toast, but beef, or pork." He look at me and laughs. I can't help but to chuckle a bit as well. When we both stop we are both silent for a while.

"I know this may sound stupid, but what's you're name? I totally forgot to ask the other day." Now he mentioned it I didn't know his name either.

"I'm Hiccup, Hiccup Haddock." He starts to snicker when I tell him my name.

"Is that really your name?" He managed to ask.

"No, it's actually Henry, but somehow everyone calls me Hiccup, and I guess I'm just used to it that everyone calls me like that. But what's your name?"

"Jackson, Jackson Overland, but you can call me Jack..."

That's how got to now Jackson Overland. Since then we have been really good friends. That day at school is also the day I lost my leg. When I jumped there apparently had been some glass in my leg which cut through my muscle so it had to be amputated. Now I have been walking around with a prosthetic for two years. I can barely notice it, and because of it I don't have to take PE lessons anymore. While we were moved to another building so lessons could continue the old building would be rebuild. The days of the fire would forever be known as "The Red Death."

Now it has been two years since "The Red Death" and since Jack and I met. It was the end of fall and today I turned seventeen. It had started to snow and freeze early this year so there was snow all around and all the water was frozen solid. Jack wanted to surprise me and asked me to do something that day as a late birthday gift so I was waiting in my room until Jack arrived.

It is weekend and I am lying on my bed, trying to draw something in my sketchbook. I like to draw in my spare time, especially creatures I make up my self so they can't be compared to others. My dog, Toothless in sleeping on the carpet at the other side of my room. Suddenly the bell rings and I can hear footsteps in the corridor. Probably my dad opening the door. My dad is a big man so it is almost impossible to not hear him walking around. The door is opened and there I can hear a familiar voice.

"Hello mister Haddock, is Hiccup home?"

"Good day to you too Jack. He is in his room. Come in, you know where it is." There were some footsteps and front door closes again. I can hear my dad walking back to the living room and a second pair of footsteps trying to walk as silent as possible on the stairs, but without success. When I hear the footsteps reach the final step they make their way towards my room. My door swings open and Jack runs in and jumps right on top of me, pushing the air out of my lungs making Toothless bark at him.

"Huff. Get you're but off of me you idiot. You're weighing a ton and you're crushing me." I can just manage to say and I can hear him grin.

"Hey Toothless." When Jack says Toothless' name he stops barking and goes back to sleep.

"You're supposed to help me Toothless, not to sleep while he attacks me."Toothless opens one eye to look at me and closes it again. "Gee, thanks a lot."

"Ooh, is someone being grumpy on his own birthday?" He says with a child-like voice while he poking my cheeks. Instead of moving away like I told him to he just gets himself comfortable on my back. If someone else would try that I probably wouldn't allow it. But since it's Jack I don't mind. It probably is because of the strange feeling he gives me every time he touches me I still can't seem to place.

"I wasn't, until you came barging in and used my back as trampoline."

"That's because you're back is still the best trampoline ever!" He says enthusiastically in my ear. "What are you drawing by the way." He moves a little but up so he could look over my head to see what I was drawing. I can feel how his chin rests on the top of my head.

"Just the usual. See this one this one is Toothless if he would be a dragon." Again Toothless opens an eye as response to his name but closes it after a second.

"That looks awesome Hic." He grabs my sketchbook and holds it up. To take a better look. "Especially those eyes look amassing. It looks like he really is looking at me from the paper." He keeps looking at the paper like it's the first thing he has seen in years.

"It's isn't that good, but thanks." He puts it down in front of me and makes himself comfortable again. "And what's the reason you're visiting today? Or do you just want to annoy me?"

"Don't you remember? I prepared a surprise for you for today. Don't tell me you forgot."

"Of course not. And this surprise, what is it?" I am starting to get really curious.

"You know, if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise anymore."

"Then show me."

"Just get yourself ready."

"I would love to but right now I'm a little bit busy with being crushed by you at the moment." I wiggle a bit to free myself but Jack keeps lying on top of me.

"Maybe you should try a little harder." He says mockingly

"Do I have to call Astrid?"

"Already gone." He gets off of me really fast. "Do want me to be death or something? Talking about Astrid, how are you two doing actually?" I sit up on the edge of my and look at him unamused.

"Serious Jack. You know we're just friends, leave it be."

"That's what you say. I can remember an event from a year ago when it was a little bit different." As to prove his point he turns around and makes kissing noises. I grab my pillow and throw it at his head. When it hits him he turns around he has a fake pout on his face.

"Grumpy and violent. I don't know if you're worth the surprise anymore."

"Ja~ck, come on. Just show me." I rise from my bed and walk over to him and push him towards my door. "I suggest you to start walking, or the way down the stair swill be rather unpleasant. Bye Toothless." I say as Jack starts to walk towards the stairs and we get ready to leave.

"Be sure to dress warm. It's cold today."

"Says the one with only sweater on." I'm glad he warned me though

"Hey, what can I say, I like it this way." From the beginning I have known he does like the cold more than I do.

"Okay, we can leave. Bye dad. I'll be back round dinner." I shout as I'm about to step outside to greet the snow covered world.

"Wait, Hiccup!" I turn around and see my dad walking towards me. "I won't be home tonight. I have a training with the other police officers."

"But, it's my birthday." I was dumbfounded.

"I know and I'm sorry. There is money on the table for you to order something. I'll make up to you someday, okay." I know it isn't his fault, but I still am disappointed.

"Okay. When will you be back?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. Behave yourself okay."

"I'll try." I'll look down at my shoes.

"Have fun." He pats my head and walks back into the living room. Turn around and walk outside, still feeling sad about what I just heard. I'm curious about how it would be if my mom would be here today. When I close the door behind me I'm greeted with a snowball in my face. As I shake the snow of my face and look around to see who threw it at me, I can feel the sadness leaving my body. Jack is laughing out loud with his arms wrapped around his stomach. I ran over to him and tackle him to the snow. I manage to pin him down and throw some snow in his face.

"Now we're even." I stand up and help him up as well. "Where to go now?"

"I'll lead you, but you have to wear this." He puts his hand in one of his pockets and grabs a cloth from it. "Put this in front of your eyes so you can't see a thing." I puts it in my hand. I close my eyes and place it in front of my face.

"Could you tie it together?" I ask as I turn my back to him. I can feel his hand touching the back of my hand as he ties it together. He turns me around and I assume I am facing him.

"Can you see anything."

"Other then the inside of my eyelids? No."

"Perfect."

"Are we going to walk to the place where you're surprise is?"

"No, I brought my motorcycle with me. Follow me." I could hear how he walks away from me, probably towards his motorcycle.

"Jack, you know I can't see which direction you're walking to right."

"Oh, right." I can hear he is coming back and he grabs my hand. He hand feels cold in mine but I still get that warm feeling back inside of me. I start to blush a bit and I hope doesn't notice. He starts to walk again and I follow his lead.

"Okay, now you have to raise you're left leg up and swing it over my motorcycle." I do as he says but hit the back of the motorcycle my foot. "little bit higher." I try it again, this time with more luck. I sit down and can feel how the motorcycle moves once more as Jack sits down. He moves back so he is comfortable and I can just his body touch mine.

"Hold on tight." I don't know where my arms are compared to him so I start to move awkwardly with my arms until I can feel how his hand grabs my arms and puts it around his stomach. Now I'm able to wrap other arm around him to and grab my other arms so it is wrapped around Jack like a lock.

"Ready?" I nod but when nothing happens figure he didn't notice.

"Ready." He starts the engine and we get in motion. In a couple of seconds we have reached a decent speed. I can feel the sheer cold wind blowing against my face and through my hair. I shiver and get close to Jack. I am sure he will say something about it, but he doesn't. I let the side of my face rest on his back. That warm feeling is rushing through my veins in overdrive, but I manage to not let Jack know.

After what seems like ten minuted we are reducing speed until we stop. I let go of Jack and he gets off first. He helps me to get off and locks his motorcycle.

"Can I take the blindfold off?" I already rise my hands to remove the cloth

"Not yet." He pushes my hands down but only releases one. "We have to walk a bit. I'll lead you." He again starts to walk and I can only follow. "Be sure to be cautious where you step."

"That will be really easy to do when I can't see." I say sarcastically

"Just follow and you'll be fine." While we're walking I suddenly can't hear any cars anymore. When I focus on my ears I notice it is really quiet around here. I don't say a thing and just follow Jack. I can feel how the temperature is decreasing quite fast and I shiver again. Suddenly Jack stops and releases my hand.

"Jack?" I start to freak out.

"Relax, I'm here." I can feel how he struggles with the knot. When the knot is gone he removes the cloth from my eyes. At first my eyes have to adjust to the sudden light. I blink a couple of times before I take everything in.

"Wow!" My mouth hangs open as I look around. It is a wide clearing in the woods. In the middle of it there is a lake, frozen solid. There is snow slowly coming down from the sky. I look up and can see how the full moon shines proud and bright above the endless trees. I looks just like one of the magical lakes in a story I once read when I was little. I take a step and each out my hand to catch one of the glittering snowflakes. I turn around and look at him.

"This is amassing Jack. How did you know this existed?"

"I found it last year when I was walking around in the woods with my mom and sister." He steps forward and walks towards the frozen lake. He looks behind him and beckons me to come. I walk over just as he steps on the ice. He skates a bit from side to side. You can see this isn't the first time he is skating.

"Are you coming?"

"I don't know how." I look down at my prosthetic leg. That would be complicated.

"I'll help you." I step on the ice and he skates towards me.

"Go ahead." He motions me forward and I move my foot. I almost fall but he grabs my arm just in time. "One leg in front of the other." I do as he says, and I'm actually moving forward. For the first time in life I'm ice-skating. I laugh at that thought and try to go a little bit faster. I'm getting a little to exited and I start to lose my balance. In a second Jack is at my side but it is too late, I slip and fall right on top of Jack. We hit the ice hard and I'm afraid it is going to break. Nothing happens and we are still laying there. We really lay on top of each other very often. I get a bit up and see our faces are seperated by just two inches. I look in his warm brown eyes and he looks back. I start to blush fiercely and I can see a light shade of red on his cheeks as well. I don't know if he is blushing or if it is just the cold.

"Happy birthday, Hic"

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_Okay, this was the pilot/prologue chapter. And, did you like it? It would be helpful to me to let me know if you liked it or not. If you spotted some mistakes, please say so. English isn't my first language and I may have overlooked one. Maybe till next time._

_Write y'all later,_

_Kylono_


	2. Chapter 2 : Accident

Proving Innocence

_accident_

_Don't have much to say, so enjoy reading this chapter._

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During the time we were ice-skating, twilight had slowly been replaced by the dark night. Now the sun was out of sight for another night, the full moon had the chance to shine bright above the forest and make the clearing look even more magical. With the snow still slowly coming down from above and the stars illuminating the darkness, it was a sight to behold. The cold wind was howling around us and raging through our hair, but we still laid down on the snow covered earth.

"Hey Jack." I finally say, breaking the serene silence hanging around us.

"Hmm?" Is the only sound he responds with

"Thanks for today. It was fun."

"You're welcome." The silence again surrounds us and we just keep looking at the sky. In the corner of my eye I can see his chest rising and falling slowly. I think we both could have been laying in that exact same spot for years, it was...peaceful. It was nice to take a break at the end of the week. Most part of school is finished, and just one day left for the weekend.

Suddenly my phone starts to vibrate in my pocket. I get it out and look at the message. It's from Astrid. "Happy birthday! I'm sorry I couldn't hang out with you today because of practice. I'll make up to you in the weekend, okay?" I smile and click the home button of my phone. I look at the time but it takes me a couple of seconds before it comes in. It's already 8 pm! I shoot up and my sight blurs for a second.

"Jack, it's time go."I say when the black spots have disappeared. I rise to my feet, or foot and prosthetic, and look down at Jack, he is asleep.

"Dork." I whisper to myself. "Jack! Wake up!" I say loud as I nudge him in his side with my foot.

"Hmm, what's it?" He says as he slowly opens his eyes.

"We have to go." I tell him again

"Why?"

"Because it's 8 pm and I am hungry."As to emphasize my point my belly makes a grunting noise.

"Already coming." He just puts his arms up and I grab them. "Let's feed that grunting hungry monster of yours." he says as I pull him up. When he is standing on his feet we walk away from the clearing. The trees above us are closing and it looks like it is making a roof. The darkness around us creeps me out and I shiver. I hug myself and start to walk a little closer to Jack. He suddenly stops walking and I bump into him.

"What you're doing." I ask curious while I rub my nose.

"Shh. Something is there." He keeps looking in front of him. I look over his shoulder but see nothing. I then hear the sound of leaves breaking. I was creeped out before, but now I'm just freaking out. I don't know what to do and I just keep standing there like a total idiot. A really scared idiot. Jack squats down and scans the ground with his hand without losing his focus on the thing in front of us. He comes back up with big stick in his hand. His rises it in the air like a bat and takes a step forward.

The rustling of leaves is once again to be heard, so is the sound my belly makes to let me know I'm still hungry. This must be the worst timing ever, I'm about to die and my stomach only can think about eating. Then one of the clouds blocking the rays of the moon passes by and the light is bright enough to see a bit more. Suddenly the creature jumps forward out of the bush in Jacks direction. Jack's about to hit the creature before it hits him, but stops his movement mid-air. The dangerous creature appears to be nothing more than a deer.

Jack turns around and looks at me. He start to laugh and I join in. We are laughing for no reason. It must be because of the adrenaline rush. After we have calmed down a bit we still both want to leave the forest as soon possible. The rest of the way back luckily is without any other encounters with wild animals.

We reach the edge of the forest at the spot where Jack put his scooter. He unlocks the scooter before he mounts it. I get behind him and we leave. We are riding through one of the quieter neighborhoods of the city. It is a silent night. there isn't much traffic out either, probably because most people are already home,watching a movie or something.

We finally reach my house and I get off the scooter. I stand beside Jack rather awkward and I wish I just could disappear through the ground.

"Well, thanks again for today." I manage to say

"No problem. Glad you liked it." The awkwardness returns.

"Do you maybe want to come in or something?"

"Sure, I'll first put my scooter away." He walks to our garage with his scooter as I walk to my front door to unlock it. I open the door and suddenly feel a hand wrapped around my mouth. I want to scream and punch the person behind me, but my scream is muted by the hand and my other arm is held in place. I'm turned around to see a wide-smiling Jack in front of me.

"Jack, you scared the hell out of me! If this continues I don't know if I'll survive this day."

"I'm sorry Hic, I just couldn't resist it. You gave me the perfect opportunity." I give him an unamused look but I just can't stay mad at him and sigh. I open the door and switch the light in the hallway on. As I take of my coat I am greeted by an overenthusiastic Toothless.

"It's okay. You're a good boy. Go bother Jack or something." As I tell him to I hear the door close behind me and Toothless totally forgets me to see who it is. I look over my shoulder to see Jack sitting on the floor, playing with Toothless. As I finish putting away my coat and shoes I free Jack from Toothless so he can put away his stuff as well.

I walk towards the kitchen with Toothless right behind me. I open one of the cabinets and grab a box with dog food. Toothless starts wagging his tail and gives a bark. I put some of it in his bowl and he immediately attacks on it. I also refill his water so he can drink once he is finished. As I put his bowl down I see Jack standing in the opening of the kitchen looking at me. I give him a small smile and he smiles back.

"Do you want something to drink?" I finally ask him.

"Can I have some water?"

"You sure can." I open one of the other cabinets and take two glasses out of it. I put some water in both of them and give one to Jack. I walk over to the table to see the money and a note laying there. I grab the note and give it a quick look. Just the regular "behave and see you tomorrow." I can feel Jack's presence behind me while he reads over my shoulder.

"I thought your dad was home." I sigh and turn around to face Jack.

"He was. He had to go to some training or something. So tonight I'm home alone." I can feel a sadness go through my body but I manage to not let him notice.

"Do you maybe, I don't know, want me to stay so you're not that lonely? Only if you want." He adds rapidly. Suddenly a part of the sadness in me is replaced by that same weird feeling Jack always seems to give me. I think about it for a second before responding

"Yeah, I think I'd like that."

"That's settled then." He smiles brightly. He finishes his water and puts his glass on the table.

"Don't you have to let you're mom know you'll be staying here. I don't want you to get into trouble because of me." I say him as I finish my own water as well.

"That might actually be a good idea." He takes his phone out of his pocket and pushes the button to turn it on. He keep staring at the still black screen for a couple of seconds

"Hey Hic, can I use yours? I think my battery is dead." He finally is able to conclude.

"Sure." I take my phone out of my pocket and hand it over to him. While he dials his moms number I grab his glass from the table and bring both to the kitchen. I try not to eavesdrop but that's quite impossible when he is just 10 feet away from me.

""Hey mom. It's me. Yes, I'm good and no, my phone isn't stolen, the battery just died. I wanted to- yes mom, I was wearing enough clothes to not be cold." I laugh at the conversation he is keeping and put my hand in front of my mouth to mute the sound I'm making. I sit down beside Toothless who is still enjoying his food and start to pet him but this time I listen to the conversation with my full attention.

"So I wanted to ask, do you think it's okay if I spend the night at Hiccup's place? I know tomorrow is a school day, but today is birthday. That's the problem, he isn't home, that's why I want to keep him company so he isn't alone. Ple~ase? Pretty please?" I listen to see what the answer is going to be.

"Thank you mom. We'll behave, yeah, love you too, I'll tell him, okay, bye." I can hear how he starts to walk in the direction and I get up form the floor. He enters the kitchen and looks at me.

"And?" I ask even though I already know it, I don't want to let him know I eavesdropped on him.

"My mom says it's okay. And I have to wish you a happy birthday from her." He says as he returns my phone. His mother is really nice. Jack really resembles her, except that he isn't a woman. Out of the blue my stomach starts to growl again.

"I think the monster is still hungry. What did you plan for us to eat?" He turns to the refrigerator and looks for something to eat. I laugh at him and stand beside him.

"I was thinking about pizza, but you can take what's inside there. We got some leftovers from yesterday. My dad cooked." To be honest, it wasn't a leftover, it was the whole meal My dad tried a bite and almost started to vomit. He put it away and didn't think about it anymore. Jack stops digging through the refrigerator and slowly closes the door.

"If I'm really going to eat that you can better dial 911 immediately." He says with a horrified look on his face.

"It isn't that bad. I'm still alive, or not?" I say even though I know it is really bad.

"You must have some medicines to make you immune or something." He gives me a serious look and it's like he is trying to figure out my secret by looking really weird at me. At that point I can't hold it any longer and start to laugh. Jack joins in eventually and we both start to get tears in our eyes.

"Let's order that pizza, or we actually have to eat the dish." I say after we have calmed down. I dial the number and order two pizza's.

"They're having some problems with the deliveries. It will take a really long time for them to be here or we have to get it ourselves." I tell him

"I can go get them if you want?"

"Are you sure?"

"I don't mind."

"Okay then." We both walk to the corridor and a wait until Jack is done putting his shoes and coat on.

"You know where it is right?" He rises an eyebrow and looks at me.

"Hiccup, they sell food. Of course I know where it is." He says dramatically. I smile at him and shake my head.

"Just go." I say pushing him outside. "And don't you dare eating them on you're own." I add as I give him the money to pay. I gives me a mischievous smile before walking to his scooter. I watch him riding down the street before I close the door.

I go back to to the living room and lay down on the couch. I grab the remote and turn it on. I look at what is in the television at the moment and settle with a horror movie. It is the worst movie ever. It isn't even scary and everything seems really fake. I feel my eyelids becoming heavy when the doorbell rings. I rise from the couch and walk back to the door. I open the door and see it's Jack. Only, there is something really wrong.

"What's the matter." I ask him. It's the first time he looks at me directly like he just sees me for the first time. He hands me the pizza boxes and walks right past me. I close the door with my foot and walk back to the living room. I put the boxes down and walk back to Jack who is still busy with untying his shoes. His hands are shaking to much to do it. I get to my knees and untie them for him. When I'm done I look at him to see he is shaking all over. I also spot a cut on his cheek. I reach out for it and as I lightly touch it he winces. I wonder what happened to him that got him like this.

I pull him to his feet and lead him to a chair. I grab some paper and make it wet to clean the wound. He winces again but he let's me clean the wound. When I'm finished I take another chair and sit in front of him.

"Speak up. What happened?" He again looks at me.

"They- they came out of nowhere and they had a knife and I slipped and- and one of them-"

"It's okay." I interrupt him "They're gone and I'm here. Let's call the police." I already reached for my phone.

"No!" He suddenly says fierce.

"Why not?" I ask confused. "You have been attacked."

"No! Nothing happened."

""But you just said-"

"Nothing! Let it go." I don't know how to react to this and decide it might be better to not say anything at all. I grab one the boxes and see a hump of ingredients of pizza. I open the other and it's the same. This is not something I want to eat. I don't know what happened but it must have been really bad. I close both of the boxes and walk into the kitchen.

"I suddenly don't want any pizza anymore. Do you want some toasties?" Jack nods absently. I let him be for a moment and prepare some toasties for us to eat. After a couple of minutes I'm done and bring Jack's toasties to him. He takes them and starts to eat without saying a word.

After we both finish I clean both our plates and sit down in front of Jack again.

"Jack, I think it's better for both us to got to bed.." Jack looks at me and stands up. He follows me upstairs to my room. He sits down on my bed as I change in my pajamas. I take a shirt and some sweatpants out of my closet for Jack to wear. I lay them beside him on the bed before I head to the bathroom. I brush my teeth and make sure all doors are locked before I head back my room. Jack is still sitting in that same position and hasn't even changed.

"Okay Jack, come one. You have to change. It's over, I here with you, and we have Toothless." I give a small whistle and Toothless comes walking in. He looks at us and sits down at out feet. "See. Don't worry." Jack looks up and nods.

"You're right. I'm sorry." He stands up and starts to take of his clothes to change into the clothes I gave him. Even though I have seen him change lots of times I can't help myself to take a look at him. He is toned and you can see his muscles, but he is not bulky. I have to keep my attention with Toothless or he might figure out I like him and that would just ruin our friendship.

"I'm going to brush my teeth. Can I borrow one of yours."

"There probably is a new one somewhere in the bathroom"

"Thanks." He walks to the bathroom and continue petting Toothless.

"This really has to stop Toothless. I can't do this. He'll find out and then he is going to be mad at me, but I just can't tell him. What should I do." Toothless turned his head to the side and let his tongue hang out of his mouth. "That will help."

"What will help?" Jack suddenly says standing behind me.

"Toothless just told me a big secret."

"Can I know?" He asks sitting down beside me on the ground.

"You have to ask him."

"I'll give you a cookie." As if Toothless understands him he barks one time. "He says you have to tell me."

"He told me that he likes to be scratched underneath his chin. Try it." Jack reached out to Toothless and scratched under his chin. Toothless' ears rise and he lies down on the floor. I yawn and Jack does as well.

"I think I'm going to sleep too." I climb in my bed and lift the blankets to lie under them. Jack doesn't move but keeps sitting on the ground. I move over to him and look at him.

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

"I'm not tired yet."

"Still thinking about today." He nods after a while. If you want you can sleep here, my bed is big enough." Oh god, what have I done? Now he probably thinks I am a creep for wanting him to sleep him in my bed.

"Really?" I am able to save myself from this, but something in Jack's voice tells me he don't mind.

"Really. Let me just get you a blanket." With my own blankets wrapped around my shoulders I get out of bed. I walk to my dad's room and get one of the spare blankets. I take one and walk back. I get in on one side of my bed and put Jack's blanket on the other half.

"Come on Jack. Time to sleep. Tomorrow is school, remember?" He climbs in beside me and gets underneath his blanket and I set my alarm to the right time.

"Night Jack."

"Night." I move a bit to get comfortable and close my eyes.

* * *

I wake up to the annoying buzzing of my alarm. I press the snooze button and turn around under the covers, but I notice it is hard to do so. I open one of my eyes to see Jack's arm is draped over my middle. I can feel my cheeks heath up immediately. I can feel my pulse going up and I try to steady my breath in order to calm myself. I wiggle myself free and get out of bed.

I look at Jack who is still sleeping. He really is just a mess of limbs. He lays sprawled across the bed with one arm on the place I had just been sleeping and one foot dangling from the bed. His hair is a bigger mess then usual and there is some drool in the corner of his mouth. His shirt crept up and I can see the top of his boxers coming out above the sweatpants. Not now. I really should stop thinking about him that way. I quickly take my clothes and head for the shower. I brush my teeth, adjust my hair put on the clothes and go back check on Jack again. In the meantime Jack has woken up and is know sitting on my bed.

"Morning." I say

"Morning." He looks at me like he is still sleeping. I grab a towel out of my closet and throw it at his head.

"Take a shower. It'll wake you up." He sighs and walks towards the bathroom. I go downstairs and see Toothless sleeping on the couch. That must have been the reason he wasn't in my room last night, he just loves sleeping on the couch. I get to the kitchen again and refill his bowl with water and food. This wakes him up and soon he is eating his food. I grab some cereal, milk and a bowl to make my own breakfast.

"Hiccup!" Is suddenly to be heard through the house.

"What" I try to say with my mouth full if cereal.

"Can I borrow some of your clothes?" I swallow the cereal before I respond.

"Yeah sure. I'll be there in a second." I put down my bowl and head upstairs. Jack has already made it's way to my room and I can see the drops of water on the floor. I walk in and see him standing there with wet hair and towel draped around his waist.

"Thanks, my other clothes started to smell a bit."

"I think pigs would be jealous at your smell. Believe me, I know." He pretends to be hurt and I roll my eyes at him. I open my closet and search for some clothes he will fit. I'm just a bit taller than that he is so that won't be a big problem. I take a shirt and pants out of it which I think would suit him.

"Thanks Hiccup." He says as I hand him the clothes.

"Just get dressed, or we'll be late for school." I again go downstairs to finish my cereal. A couple of minutes later Jack comes downstairs.

"You can make some breakfast yourself. You know where to find everything." He also makes some cereal and sits down in one the chairs to eat. While he is eating I look at him. It seems like he is his usual self again and like last night didn't happen. I know there must still be something, but I decide to let it be for now. I'll keep an eye on him during school. When we are both done eating we get ready to leave.

"How are you planning to go to school?" He asks me while we putting on our shoes.

"Don't now, walking, I think. Why?" I stand up and take my coat.

"We could also go by scooter." He suggests as he puts on his coat.

"But where do you want to park your scooter?"

"That's a good one." He admits

"And it's only a ten minute walk." He thinks about it and nods.

"Walking is fine." I open the door and we get outside. I lock the door behind me and we head for school. Just one day of torture left before weekend.

"Let's go." I say, it's going to be a long day.

* * *

_The end of this chapter. Hoped you liked it. Feedback would be helpful. Don't worry, the main part is almost coming. Just a little bit longer. _

_Write y'all later_

_Kylono_


	3. Chapter 3 : Disappeared

**Proving Innocence**

_Disappeared_

_This is already the third chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

Last time Jack had come back from picking up pizza totally in shock. I knew something really bad must have happened but he just won't tell me. After that I decided to let it be for the moment. We went to bed and slept. When we woke up it seemed nothing had happened to him, so we just got ready headed for school.

I lock the door and check if it is really locked. It is still dawn so it is quite hard to see. A cold, fierce wind is howling around us and toying with our clothes. The freshly fallen snow beneath our feet crunched every time we placed our feet to take a step. I have to lift my feet high above the snow or I would probably fall face-first in the snow. We continue like this for a couple of minutes and I really want to try to question him about yesterday, but I can't seem to find the courage to do so.

Suddenly my already limited sight is blocked by someone's hand and I fall in the snow, yelling in surprise, and pulling the other person with me.

"Gotcha." I open my eyes and I am met by a couple of eyes looking at me.

"Astrid!" She laughs at me and rises to her feet and pulls me up as well.

"Hey Hic. Hey Jack." He gives a small nod in response.

"You scared me to death."

"You look pretty alive to me for a death person." She says while brushing her blond hair out of her face.

"Thinking you're being funny?".

"Knowing I am funny." I roll my eyes at her and she knows she won. I remove the snow from my pants and coat before I start to walk again. She and Jack both take a little sprint to walk next to me.

"So, Jack. I though you lived at the other side of town."

"I do, but I came over to Hiccup yesterday to celebrate his birthday." He says.

"You did?" She looks at me and rises an eyebrow. I give her a warning look and look at Jack. It seems he is oblivious and I sigh. "What did you do?"

"I took him to go ice-skating with me."

"But he is horrible at ice-skating."

"Well thanks a lot." I say unamused.

"I think you can say he is a disaster." Jack says smirking.

"Why not mock the cripple?"

"Because it's fun." Astrid answers. I pull my hood over my head and put my hands in my pockets. They laugh at me and we continue walking.

We turn the corner of a street and there it is, right in front of us. Tall and proud, the worst place on earth for teenagers: school. It is a big building where it is rather easy to get lost. We walk up to the main entrance and get inside.

"I'll have to got this way. See you at lunch?" Jack says. Since he is one class higher then we are we don't have any classes together.

"Sure. See ya!" He turns left and walks away. Astrid and I continue to our lockers at the end of the corridor. I unlock my locker and get my first books out: maths and history.

"But Hic, yesterday, what did you do with Jack exactly?" She asks as she gets her own books out.

"Could you just shut up about it."

"No, that's impossible. So you'd better start." She says smiling mischievously.

"Nothing happened. We just went ice-skating, that's all." We put our books in our backpacks and head for our class.

"You know just as well as I do that it's not just something."

"I never should have come to you to help me with figuring out what it was."

"That was stupid of you. You should have known better. But now I'm here to help." She says as she throws her arm over my shoulder.

"please don't help. There is always someone getting hurt when you help. Mostly me!"

"You're just a big baby." We enter the classroom and we get some looks from some people who think we're a couple. We used to be, but it just didn't work out so we decided to be really good friends. At first it felt awkward when they would stare at us. Now it doest affect me any more.

"Leave this big baby alone okay."

"You first have to tell me what happened." She says stubbornly.

"Will you let it be when I tell you?" She nods. "Okay, I was in my room when Jack came in. He told me to get ready to leave so I did. When we were outside he blindfolded me and told me to get on his scooter. I did and he rode us to some kind of forest. He lead my to some clearing in the middle of the forest with a big frozen lake." The teacher came in and put her stuff on her desk.

"Everyone, sit down and get to work. When there are any questions come to my desk and I'll try to help." We all went to our chairs and started to work.

"Psst. Hiccup." Astrid says while poking my flank.

"What?" I whisper.

"You have to continue."

"We skated for a while and returned to my house. That's it. Nothing left to tell."

"Aaaw. You say it's nothing but it so is something."

"You said you would let it be if I told you."

"I lied." She said shrugging her shoulders.

"You know it's weird Astrid. He is a guy. So am I. It's probably nothing. It must have been my mood at the moment or something." She rolls her eyes.

"Come on. Hic, this is the twenty-first century. It isn't weird anymore."

"It is for me."

"Mister Haddock, could you be silent please?"

"I'm sorry ma'am. We're just discussing an exercise." Miss Krega returned her attention back to the papers in front of her.

"Just get over it Hic."

"I don't even like him that much. I only felt that way once." She looks at sternly. "Or twice."

"Hiccup. I know you're lying. I can tell by the way you always look at him. It's okay if you don't know it yourself yet, but I do." I sigh and look at my textbook like the answer is written in it.

"What if you're right. Then we know. Yeay." I give a sarcastic cheer.

"Then you'll just tell him."

"You think it's easy or something." I let me head fall on the table.

"It is easy. Believe me." She puts a hand on my arm

"Last time I believed you, you lied to me!" She snickers a bit.

"Hiccu~p. Work along. Why do you always have to be so stubborn?"

"It's an occupational hazard." She gives me a playful punch on my arm which still hurts.

"Be serious. This way nothing is ever going to happen."

"That's the whole idea." I say still laying on the table with my head.

"If you don't tell him, I will." She says crossing her arms.

"You wouldn't." I say shooting up.

"You know I would." She says boldly. I sigh and let my hand support my head.

"Fine." I give up into getting her to stop about it.

"That's settles then. During lunch you'll talk to him."

"Why so soon?"

"Because then you can let it rest."

"But what if he doesn't take it the right way, or if he tell everyone, or if he just ignores me for ever?" He start to rant about the possible outcomes.

"He is you're friend. A really good friend. He won't let you down. And if he does, you got me." I rise an eyebrow.

"What are you planning to?"

"I'll kick his ass, hard." She smiles devilishly while she rubs her hand together. It actually makes me laugh and Miss Krega gives me a look. I apologize and look at Astrid who is trying really hard to hold her laugh back. We sit there for a couple of seconds before the bell rings. We both can't hold it any longer and we start to laugh like idiots.

We grab our stuff and head for the next class. Geography isn't that bad, but with a teacher as boring as mine you'll wish you could just disappear at that thought. Speaking is off-limits so Astrid and couldn't continue our conversation from earlier. When class is over we head to the cafeteria. We order our food and sit at our usual table to wait for Jack. He has PE before lunchtime so it always takes him some more time to get here.

"Where do you think Jack is?" Astrid says after she almost is done eating and Jack still hasn't arrived.

"I don't know. Maybe he is still at the gym?"

"He should have been here already. You didn't text him to not come here or something, did you?" I rise my hands in the air as if it proves my innocence.

"I don't know where he is either." Astrid stands up from the table and grabs her stuff and tray. She walks to one of the trash cans and throws away her leftovers. She walks back and stop in front of me.

"Are you coming?" I get up and throw away my leftovers as well. And run to catch up with her.

"Where are we going?"

"The gym." We walk through the corridors in direction of the school's private gym. We go through the door into the huge place. I spot the coach at the other side of the pitch, and we walk over to him.

"Hello coach."

"Hello Astrid, Hiccup." The man is huge. He has some massive muscles and it seems he can crush me with just one finger. "Is there is something I can help you with?"

"We wonder if you know where Jack is."

"Jack. Let me think. No, I don't know. During class he suddenly felt nauseas so he went to the bathroom, when he didn't return I just assumed he went to the nurse. Anything else I can help you with?" We look at each other and then look back at the coach.

"No, that was it. Thank you Sir." I say

"You're welcome. And now you have to leave. I want to eat." We walk away from the gym through the corridors to the nurse's office.

"Did you notice anything about Jack this morning. Did he eat something bad?" Astrid says.

"He ate the same thing as I did, and I don't feel weird or something Maybe he ate something different when we arrived at school or something." We make our way to the nurse and knock.

"Come in." A gentle voice says. I open the door and walk in with Astrid right behind me. "Oh, hello Hiccup. How's you leg doing? I haven't seen you in a while, which usually is a good thing." She says smiling

"Hey Thiana. Good, it doesn't hurt anymore and it doesn't bother me as much as it used to." I say smiling back kindly to her. She is a kind woman. She has short colored hair and brown eyes. She is in her mid-twenties and she helped me a lot when I lost my leg.

"That's great to hear. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"We want to know if Jack has been here today."

"Jack who?" she asks confused.

"Overland. Jack Overland." She shakes her head and turns around to the computer.

"Not that I can recall, but I can look it up for you." She ticks something on the keyboard and scrolls a bit. She shakes her head again and looks back at us. "He hasn't been here in a really long time."

"Okay, thank you for helping us." I say

"You're welcome Hiccup. Have a nice day. You too Astrid" We walk back to the corridor and walk to our lockers.

"That was pretty weird, don't you think?" I say as I open my locker again.

"Where could he be? Is this some kind of disappearing trick or something?" She leans again he locker and stares to the floor in front of her.

"He wasn't at the gym and he wasn't with the nurse." Out of the blue I spot Jamie, another friend of Jack. "Wait, maybe Jamie knows."

"Hey Jamie!" I say as I catch up with him.

"Oh, hey Hiccup. What's up?"

"Have you seen Jack?"

"No. He was suddenly gone during PE. He even left his stuff in the locker room. If you see him can you give his stuff to him. I have to go now." He pushes all Jack's belongings in my arms before running of. I manage to hold it together and walk back to Astrid. She looks weird at me when I reach her.

"What happened to you?" She asks

"Jamie didn't know where he was either. He told me he left his stuff in the locker room and somewhat forced me to take them over because he has to go." I say as I try to get all Jack's stuff in my locker.

"Wait, we haven't tried to call Jack yet." I smile at her.

"Astrid, you're a genius."

"Can you repeat that while I record it?" I roll my eyes and take my phone out of my pocket. I am about to select his contact as I remember something and put my phone back.

"We can't call him."

"Why not?"

"Last night he used my phone to call his mom because his battery died." We both sigh.

"This is getting weirder by the minute." Astrid says.

"Last night. Maybe this has something to do with last night."

"What do you mean?" She asks confused and we start to walk to our next class.

"After we got home from ice-skating I ordered some pizza while Jack went to pick them up with his scooter. When He returned he was totally in shock. He told me something about some men and and knife. It was really incoherent so I couldn't understand him. But now I think this must have a connection with that event. Otherwise it would be a really big coincidence."

"You could've told me that a bit earlier. That must be it! We should call the police." Astrid already had her phone in her hand

"No!"

"Why?"

"Last night I wanted to do the same but Jack really didn't want to. It must be because of a good reason." She puts her phone back in her pocket.

"But what should we do now?" She asks

"I think we have to do a little of our own research until we think we need help. Maybe nothing happened and his mom picked him up because he had to go to the dentist or something and he just forgot everything. He can be clumsy sometimes."

"You're right we'll just have to wait and see." The day goes on really slow, but eventually the final bell rings and everyone goes home. The last hour of the day Astrid and I have separated classes and we meet again at the lockers.

"Hey Hic." She says as she walks to me. "Heard anything from Jack?" I shake my head.

"No. Have you?"

"Neither."

"Ready to be doing some research then?" I am feeling how the adrenaline is starting build up.

"Where do you plan to start?"

"I thought about the boy's locker room. What about you?" She nods

"Sounds like a good idea to me. But, ehm, it is the boy's locker room. A locker room for boys, and in case you didn't notice. I'm a girl." She says gesturing to herself.

"Believe me, I noticed. There is supposed to be no one in there for the next thirty minutes before basketball training starts."

"We got no time to loose then, let's go." We run to the gym once again. I push the door and it opens. Lucky for us it wasn't locked. We sneak inside and close the door. We look around and see the coach is in his office and we spot the locker rooms. We make our way to them and enter the the right one. The lights are still on and we close the door behind us.

"You search in that part, I take that one." We both start to look for hints. I look on top of the lockers under the benches, everywhere I can imagine. I do smell a weird send which I can't place at the moment. I'll figure it out later.

"Hey Hiccup, come here, I found something!" I walk to Astrid look at what she is holding. It is a small box with a little paper on it. It says: for Hiccup.

"That's Jack's writing! Open it." She searches for the opening opens the small box. In the box there is a small pendant of a black dragon and clear blue and white snowflake.

"It's beautiful." Astrid says.

"Is it, for me?" I ask cautious.

"The note says it is."

"Could you keep it with you. I think I will only loose."

"Sure." I take a couple of steps to return to the searching when suddenly the light turns off. I can't see a thing. I can here some quick footsteps over the ground.

"Hiccup," Astrid's voice sounds scared. "are you touching my hand?" I shiver before I answer.

"No..." Suddenly Astrid starts to scream at the top of her lungs. After a couple of seconds the door opens and the light is turned back on. The coach is standing and in the doorway. Astrid is sitting on the ground with her hands in front of her mouth. I immediately walk towards her and sit down next to her and try to comfort her a bit. She grabs my arm with a lot of strength and it starts to hurt.

"What is happening in here!?" The coach asks? I look up and he looks down at us. "Well? Speak up!"

"We were looking for something I forgot." I say. It isn't a complete lie.

"What happened to her." He gestures to Astrid with his head.

"I don't know. One moment we were searching, the next moment the light went out and she started to scream." I look at Astrid. "Are you okay?" She looks back at me and blinks a couple of times.

"I think I okay again." I help her to her feet.

"What happened?" I ask curious and the coach looks at both of us.

"The moment the lights went off I felt someone pulling at my hands. At first I thought it was you but when I asked you, you weren't and I started to scream. It released me and and then the light went back on."

"We'll find it out one day. It probably was just your imagination playing tricks on you. Why don't you go home and rest a bit." He holds the door open for us and we walk out. We continue to go to the exit. I look back once more to see the coach is calling with someone. We keep going to the exit and once we're outside I feel myself releasing a breath I had been holding. I look at Astrid and can tell she feels the same.

"How are you doing right now?" I ask after a while.

"Better. This was the first time I have been scared this much." she admits.

"You're mind can play some nasty tricks on you." She stops walking and I stop as well. I turn around to face her.

"Hiccup, it's wasn't just some trick of my mind."

"How do you know that?" When my mind is,or isn't, tricking me I never notice it until someone points it out to me.

"The box. I was holding the box in my hands and I don't have it anymore. I checked the floor before we left but it wasn't there anymore." It begins to dawn to.

"So we lost the the pendant?"

"No. Right before the lights went out I took it out of the box because the box didn't fit in my pocket." She puts her hand in her pocket and pulls the pendant out. Now is the first time I notice it is a necklace.

"Astrid, for the second time today, you're a genius."

"It's nothing. If my pockets would've been a little bit bigger I never would've taken it out." She hands me the necklace and I examine it closely for the first time. I notice the black dragon is very similar to one of the dragons I once drew. I think it is made of onyx. The blue and white snowflake

resembles the snowflakes Jack always draws everywhere and I assume is made of aquamarine.

"It really is beautiful." I say

"Do you think Jack got this for you?"

"I don't know." I just keep looking at the pendant.

"You should wear it. Come one I'll help you." Astrid took the necklace from my hands and got behind me. She clicked the lock together so it wouldn't come of. She got back in front me and looked at it.

"It looks good on you." I look down and see it resting against my chest. I lift it up and put it under my shirt. I usually don't care about what people say, but I am not in the mood to answer questions about how I got it.

"It does look expensive you know. I wonder what I costs."

"Please stop. It makes me feel bad when I know it costs much." I sigh.

"What are doing tonight?" Astrid asks after we have been walking in silence for a while.

"Sleeping?"

"Haha. Shouldn't we be looking for Jack or something? Or check at his house? Maybe we can find something in the stuff Jamie gave us. We got time enough."

"Tonight's going to be long I guess."

"That's why I'm staying." I rise and eyebrow at her.

"I can't remember I invited you." I say mockingly.

"I can't remember I ever cared." She shot back. I start to snicker and we continue to walk to my house. When we arrive at my house I see there are a lot of cars in front the house. I quickly walk to the front door and see it is already open. I push the door further open. We walk inside to be see something I hoped would never happen.

* * *

_I hoped you all liked the third chapter. I hope you will continue reading this story till the end. For now I can only queues you liked it, or you can say you liked it (subtle hint)._

_Write y'all next time_

_Kylono_


	4. Chapter 4 : Trade

_**Proving Innocence**_

_Trade_

_Sorry for the late update everyone who reads this story. I wanted to update last Sunday but I have been really busy lately so I couldn't finish this chapter. I made this chapter a bit longer in comparison to being late. Again, sorry. I hope you'll still enjoy._

* * *

Astrid and I just came back from school. We had been looking for Jack who suddenly disappeared during his PE class. We checked the last place someone heard something of him, the locker rooms. Astrid and I found a box containing a necklace. My name was on it and right now i carry it around on my neck. When I came home later that day the door was already opened for some unknown reason.

I push the wooden door open and walk inside with Astrid right behind me. I look around in shock. All drawers are pulled open and are tossed all around the corridor. Some pictures are laying on the floor, broken. Even the hollow step in the stairs is opened.

"Hiccup?" My dad comes out of the living room accompanied by some men I vaguely remember as his colleagues. "Good, you're okay." He looks at me and Astrid without saying anything else. The other men walk over all the mess to the hall and go upstairs.

"Eh, dad, what happened?" He sighs.

"Someone broke in and searched through everything." He point to all the stuff spread on the ground. I squat down to pick up one of the broken pictures near my feet.

"Don't touch that!" A voice suddenly echoes through the house. I halt my movement and stay frozen on the spot. A large men walks towards me and stands still. "If you touch that picture you will ruin the evidence. If you would be so nice to leave with your friend." He turns around and goes upstairs, probably going to help the other men. I give a questioning look to my dad.

"We are almost done with searching for evidence, so if you return tomorrow it will be all finished up. I'll have to ask if you would leave now." He turns around and walks back to the living room.

"Well that's a nice start of the weekend." I say as we get outside again. "I think we'll have to go to your house Astrid."

"I figured." She says. We walk the streets in silence. Lucky for us she only lives only two minutes away from me. "Oh, before I forget to mention it, my parents aren't home today. You don't mind, do you?" She says as we near her house.

"I've been home alone with you before, so it won't be a problem." She opens her door and we immediately go to her room. I let my own and Jack's backpack drop to the ground and I jump on her bed. She comes in after me and sits down beside me.

"Okay, now to Jack." I stand up from the bed to grab Jack's backpack up again. I open it and let the content of it drop on the bed. There is a history book, a science book, some pens, his favorite blue sweater, pants, white socks, money, his cell phone and some paper.

"Nothing seems ordinary to me." I comment as I look at what came out of it. This just looks like the usual stuff he carries around, except for the clothes.

"His socks though. How can he keep them this white?"

"That's the first thing you notice?" She shrugs. "We have to take a closer look. Maybe there is a clue somewhere." I take Jack's clothes to search his pockets and Astrid takes one of the books. When all his pockets are searched I only found some more money. I fold them and put them away. I pick up one of the books and open it. After the books are done we investigate the other stuff. We look through the papers put those are just some notes he took during class. I sigh and let my self fall back on the bed.

"That was useless. We have looked through everything but couldn't find even one clue. If we only could look in his phone." Astrid says.

"We could if Jack had been smart enough to charge his phone." I say as I throw my hands in the air.

"Wait can you give me his phone for a second." I reach out for Jack's phone and hand it over. She examines it for a second before she lowers it. "Just what I thought, I got the same phone as Jack. I could try to charge it with my charger."

"It is worth a shot." Astrid stands up and walks to her drawer. The drawer is stuck but she manages to open it and searches for the charger. She pulls her charger out and puts it in the outlet. She plugs Jack's phone in and waits. I look at the black screen in anticipation and hold my breath. We wait and wait, but nothing happens. I exhale and am about to give up when the screen lights up.

"Yes!" I yell. Astrid and I look at each other and then back at the screen. We watch it as it is starting up. When the lock screen comes up Astrid looks at me again.

"You don't happen to know his password, do you?" I take the phone from her and think.

"He told me once, but I don't know if he changed it in the meantime."

"Just try."

"Give me a moment to think okay." I try some numbers but the phone remains unlocked. "Apparently he changed it."

"Try his birthday." Astrid says. I try his birthday, the twenty-first of December. Again, no luck. Astrid grabs the phone from my hand and types something.

"Got it." She says proudly. "The background of his phone is really cute." She says staring to the phone.

"What do you mean?" She turns the device so I can look at it. It is the picture Jack took of both of us a couple of days ago when we were making homework together. At first I didn't want him to take the picture, but he eventually coaxed me into doing it. I smile at the memory of that moment until Astrid nudges my arm and pulls me back into reality.

"How did you manage to get in?" I take it from her and look at it.

"Your birthday." She says with a big smile. I look up at her unamused. She just shrugs her shoulders. I direct my attention back to the small device and click on the texts. Astrid gets behind me and looks over shoulder. I can see the texts I send to Jack and some of his friends. As I scroll through the contact list I notice a name I don't recognize.

"Who do you think PB is?" I ask as I face Astrid.

"Petra Bloring, Paul Bretle, Perry Baker-" She starts to sum up.

"Who are those people?"

"I don't know. I'm just saying some names." I roll my eyes and look back at the screen.

"I don't think they were really good friends. Look at this. Jack keeps saying this person has to leave him alone. And the other seems he or she wants something from Jack." I show her the texts and she reads them.

"What could it be he or she wants that Jack has to give him or her?"

"How should I know?"

"Maybe you noticed something."

"No, I didn't." We continue reading through the messages from PB. "Hey look at this. Jack was supposed to meet that PB person yesterday."

"He was with you the whole time, so he didn't go."

"Not the whole time. He went to get us pizza remember. Maybe that's why he was in shock." Now it clicked in my head.

"Then we should check were they we're going to meet." Some pieces are starting to fall in place, but there are still a lot of pieces missing. "We're do we have to go?" I check the phone.

"It is on the way to the pizzeria. Let's go. We have to be quick." I leave everything at Astrid's house and run downstairs. I grab my coat and get outside.

"Hiccup! Wait!" Astrid yells running after me. "Don't go running like a fool. It's a twenty minute walk." She explains as she grabs my arm to stop me.

"How else were you planning to go?" I now I'm not being fair to Astrid at the moment, but I just want to find out what happened to Jack.

"There is a car in the garage." She says with an innocent-like voice.

"You don't have your license yet. I do neither."

"Who said anything about a license?" My mouth falls open and I'm dumbfounded. Did she just say what I really thought she said.

"Are you insane!? What if we get caught? No way I'm going to do that." I am about to walk away again.

"Hiccup, come on. It's the easiest way to get there."

"And the most dangerous!" I say turning around.

"I am already taking lessons. I know how to drive. You trust me right." She pouts and I look away. As I look back she still is pouting. I can't refuse her when she looks at me that way, and she knows that. I can feel myself coming close to accepting the ride. I close my eyes and sigh.

"I'll get you back for this." I say as I walk to the garage.

"You know you won't." She responds smiling brightly.

"I know." She opens the garage and we get in the blue car. Once we are in and we're wrapped in the safety belts she starts the engine. I do trust her, but when I feel the car coming to life I can't keep myself from panicking. We ride away and I manage to calm down a bit. Astrid rides as I give directions. When we finally reach our destination we have to stop because there are lots of people blocking our way. Astrid parks the car and we mix with the crowd to see what's happening. At one point we can't get any further because some yellow police tape holds us back. There are a couple of colleagues of my dad whom I recognize. One of them spots me and comes closer.

"Hey Hiccup. What are you doing here?" The colleague asks.

"Just walking around. But what's going one here?" I point to the police working behind him.

"Someone called last night and told us he found a dead body in a alley." I first look around and to notice this is the exact same location as was mentioned in the text from PB. I get the feeling that this isn't just coincidence.

"Do you know who did it." I ask just to be sure.

"When we arrived the man who called us gave us a description of what the suspect looks like. We managed to do some kind of profile sketch from what he told us. Wait, I got a copy of it somewhere." He searches his pockets and pulls a piece of paper out of one of them. He unfolds it and shows it to me and Astrid. My breath catches in my throat as I recognize the person on the paper. It is Jack!

"Do you recognize this person?" I can't tell him it's Jack. For some reason I can't say a thing so I just shake my head. "It is said he rode away on a black and red colored scooter. I have to go now, tell me it if you think you know something, okay." Whit this being said he walked away. We also turn around and walk back to the car without saying something.

Once we are in the car again I just sit in my chair staring to the people walking by. What happened yesterday? Did Jack really, kill someone. He did tell me he was outnumbered and that at least one of them had a knife. That explained the cut he had on his cheek. But Jack would never do such thing, right? I do know we absolutely can't count on the help of the police. If they manage to find him they would arrest them immediately.

""Hey, are you okay?" I look to the side and see Astrid looking at me. I can only nod at her. "Did he tell you something else that might help us?" I shake my head. "Come on, Hiccup, talk." She shakes my body and somehow it is enough to get my full attention back.

"There is nothing left to be told. All I know is that Jack got here on his scooter and-" I stop talking and think for a moment.

"And what? You're really annoying right now." She crosses her arms angry.

"His scooter."

"What?" She unfolds her arms and looks confused.

"His scooter is still at my house. If the police finds it they might think he broke in into our house!"

"That would be two crimes on his name."

"And then he will never be left alone."

"We have to find Jack before anyone else does." I start to get worried again.

"How? This wast the only clue we got, and the police was earlier then we were." She is right. We don't know where we should go now. It's hopeless. Suddenly my phone starts to buzz in my pocket. I expect it to be my dad to ask about the scooter outside our house. I pull it out of my pocket and look at the number. It isn't recognized and I start to get suspicious.

"Hello? Who is this?" I ask while picking up my phone.

"No need to know my name, as long as know yours, Hiccup." I can't help but to shiver as I hear the voice speaking to me. I motion Astrid to come closer so she can listen along.

"What do you call me?"

"I think I got something you might want. Or should I say, someone?"

"Jack" I whisper, but the person apparently hears.

"Jack indeed. So if you want to see him you'd better do exactly as I say, understood?"

"Yes."

"Good boy. I know you have been looking for Jack today. I hope you liked the necklace." I'm surprised he knows about that. Did Jack tell him that? "I know what you're thinking. Jack didn't have to tell me, it was mine. Jack stole it from me and I would like it back." The necklace belonged to a mysterious person. Why would Jack steal it?

"Why would I believe you?"

"What do you got to loose?" I don't know how to respond to that. "Come to the building near the river slide. Alone."

"What time?"

"Be there three hours after sunset. Don't be late. I'm very impatient. And when I have to wait it might get rather, unpleasant for your lovely Jack." The phone becomes quiet and I put it back in my pocket. I think back to the conversation I just had with the unknown person and let it all settle in.

"We have to get Jack back."

"At least we know how we can find him this time." I've always admired Astrid for being positive in almost every situation. "Now we just have to wait." I reach to the back of my neck and fumble with the lock of the necklace.

"What are you doing?" She asks.

"Taking the necklace off." The lock unlocks and I let it slide it in my hand.

"Why would you put it away."

"Because Jack might have stolen it."

"Might have. Hic, we're not sure if he really did it. Who says the person who just called isn't lying to you."

"I don't know okay, but just to be sure." I look at in once more before I put it away in my pocket.

"Hiccup, Don't..."

"How long till sunset?" I don't want to talk about that part of the story right now. She sighs and gives up.

"Let's see." She checks the time and mumbles a bit in herself. "Sun sets at six PM, so that is two hours from now, add three hours. Let's say we have to be there in five hours."

"We? I'm pretty sure he said I had to come on my own."

"Naive, little, foolish Hiccup." She says as she puts one arm around my shoulder. I rise an eyebrow when she says little. "Okay, naive, not so little anymore, foolish Hiccup." I nod in improvement. "You didn't honestly think I even considered about letting you go there on your own. You're clumsy enough to get lost in your own backyard."

"I'm not that clumsy."

"Believe me, you are." She manages to let me smile. "Let's go back to my house and wait there. That's a little more comfortable than this car, and I have to go to the bathroom really bad." She starts the engine of the car and as I'm still laughing at her she races through the streets.

When we arrive at her house Astrid races to the bathroom. The rest of the evening we only wait. When it's time to eat we make ourself some noodles and watch a movie. I only don't look at the movie. When it is finished I don't even know the title of the movie. I can't get Jack out of my head. The whole time I look and play with the pendant from the necklace. I can't believe Jack really could steal something. But at the other side I don't trust the person who is holding Jack as hostage, just for something as small as a necklace.

"Are you coming?" Astrid says as she suddenly is standing in front of me, ready to leave.

"Hm?" She sighs.

"It's already eight PM, if you want to be on time we'd better leave now." I look at the clock to see it indeed already is eight PM.

"You're right. Let's go." I get up from the couch and we get outside. We get into the car and ride into one of the more quiet parts of town before we reach the edge. The hard streets are replaced by the grassy hills. As I watch over my shoulder I can see lights of the city shining bright. We get out of the car and walk through the hills and near to the river. We follow the river until we almost reach the destination.

"Astrid, I think I should continue on my own from here."

"That may be wise. Be careful okay. and don't do anything which can hurt the both of you" She gives me a hug and she disappears behind some trees standing around. I walk on and feel really lonely without Astrid to keep me some company. As I follow the rest of the river I notice the starts blowing and I can feel the temperature drop. I shiver and hug myself to keep warm. In the distance the silhouette of a small building comes into view. I continue my way through the blowing wind.

Not long after I reach my destination. I check the time to see if I made it in time. There are still five minutes left.

"You've decided to come early I see." I almost drop dead at the sudden voice. I try to look around in an attempt to combine the voice to a body, but with almost no light to do so it is rather difficult. My dad learned me a simple trick when I was small to let your eyes adjust to the darkness faster. I close my eyes and count to ten, also hoping the stranger isn't sneaking up at me at the exact same moment. I count ten and open my eyes again. It becomes easier to see in the darkness. Through the trees I can spot at least one person, or what I think is a person.

"I may assume you brought what I asked you for?" I nod. "Speak up!" I gulp at the sudden mood change of the person I'm speaking to. Sweat is starting to form on my hands.

"Y-yes." Glad I at least was able to say something.

"Show it." I reach for my pocket where I temporarily stored the necklace. It then dawned to me I hadn't seen Jack yet. What if he wasn't here at all? Then this would just be for nothing.

"Where's Jack?" I don't know where I found the courage to speak up, but somehow I did. The nerves are rushing through my whole body at the moment.

"Being brave, aren't we? Well Jack is right here." A man steps forward pushing someone in front of him. I expected it would be Jack, but I only could hope. When they step in the moon it indeed is Jack. He is hold tight. His hands are behind his back, probably tied, and he is held up by someone who is pulling on his hair. I can barely recognize him. His clothes are torn on some places, he has bruises all over his body and his eyes, his eyes don't radiate the usual happiness and joy, but fear. I almost never see Jack being scared of something. My eyes suddenly see something reflect a little lower, just underneath his chin. A knife is placed at his throat! I really have to take care with my actions. One wrong move and Jack could end up death.

I follow the hand which holds the knife. The hand is attached to an arm and the arm attached to a chest. I keep following until I reach the eyes. They are pure gold eyes. It is a color I definitely wouldn't choose for myself. He has raven-black hair on his head, the same color of black he was fully clothed in. I know one thing for sure, this man is a man of the darkness.

"Now I showed you you're beloved Jack, now it's you're turn. Show, the, necklace." The voice is even scarier if you know who is speaking with it. My hand reaches for my pocket again. I take the necklace out and hold it up in the air. The light of the moon is exactly directed at it. The pendant, one half a red leaf made of ruby, the other half made of a blue and white snowflake made of aquamarine, dangles and reflects the rays of the moon.

"Magnificent. Now, put it on the ground and walk backwards." I hesitate and it immediately is being punished. "If you don't listen he is going to pay." The man in the pitch black clothing pulls hard at Jack's hair and pressed the knife a little bit deeper. I small stream of red blood could be seen on his throat.

"Okay!" I say fast and put the necklace on the ground. I don't let my gaze leave Jack. Once the necklace is laying on the ground in take a couple of steps back.

"Take it." Out of the blue another man clothed in dark steps out of the bushes and walks up to the place where I put the necklace and picks it up. He goes back to the man holding Jack.

"You got what you want, now you have to release Jack." The weird man starts to grin a wicked grin.

"Did I forgot to tell you? Since you both now who I am, it would be easy to sue me." It starts to dawn to me what he is planning to do.

"We won't tell anyone, but please release Jack." It is the last chance we got.

"After tonight you won't be able to tell anyone, indeed. I hope you like to swim?" Jack suddenly starts to move. "You bit me you fool." The man let's go of Jack and grabs his own hand.

"Go, Hiccup!" Jack screams at me, but I can't move. I watch Jack as he makes an attempt to escape. He manages to take some steps but the man he bit recovered quickly and lashes out with the knife he is holding.

"Argh!" Jack stops his movement and falls to the ground.

"Jack!" I run towards him but I'm halted in my way. The attention of man with the knife is now directed at me, great. There is a small trail of blood on the knife, Jack blood. Please, let him live

"One more step and you'll be joining him." His eyes had a fierce look but I wasn't scared anymore.

"You're already planning to kill me so why shouldn't I?! I have got nothing to loose!" The adrenaline must be the main reason I couldn't keep my mouth shut.

"Tie him up!" More men come into view from behind the trees and surround me. One of them grabs my arm from behind but I pull myself free. If they think I would be going down without a fight they thought wrong. They try again,this time with more at once. They get me to the ground and I still try to wiggle free. I'm pushed face-first in the dirt as my hands are being tied behind my back. I'm pulled to my feet again and they lead me to the edge of the river. Jack is dropped right beside me. A huge stone is being connected to my hands as well, so is one connected to Jack's.

"Have fun swimming." Someone pushed me from behind and I fall into the ice-cold water. The sudden cold temperature of the water pushes all the oxygen out of my lungs. I look up and see the stone is thrown in as well. The stone sinks to the bottom of the river and the weight pulls me down. I can just see my surroundings. A lot of old bikes and other rocks. I look back up and see Jack coming down. He ends a couple of feet apart from me.

What will people think when they find us? Will they think Jack is still to blame for the murder? I wish I could at least touch him once more before I die. I feel sorry for him. The last couple of days of his life must have been horrible. I wish he could have had a second chance. No one deserves this. I notice the last of my breath is escaping through my nose and my lungs are about to explode. I let it all at once go out to make it less painful for myself. I close my eyes and feel it's almost time. Goodbye Astrid, dad, everyone and Jack. Maybe we'll be together when we're death, I don't know. I'll finally get to know what happens after you die.

I can feel some fidgeting with the ropes. Some fish are probably discovering what the two unknown objects in their territory are. The rope becomes looser with the second. Why didn't they do that earlier than there would have been a chance on survival. The rope is then removed completely form my hands and they drift up a bit. At least I'm sort off 'free' when I die. I am pulled up. At least I am going to heaven. When I reach the surface I feel the cold wind and start to inhale like a maniac. I am led to the edge and pulled out of the water.

"Hiccup! Oh my God, are you okay?!" I cough up water and slowly open my eyes. A with water coated Astrid is sitting next to me. Her hair is sticking to her forehead. She must have jumped in the water after we were thrown in and there were gone.

"Jack." I say, not much louder than a whisper.

"What?" Why don't you understand?

"Jack. Water." It seems she understands and stands up. She runs to the water and dives back in. I keep lying on my back, trying to regain my breath. It seems like Astrid is under water for minutes. I start to get really anxious. What if she can't find him? What if she drowns? Then it would be all my fault. I get up a bit and look at the surface of the water. After some more seconds Astrid comes out of the water with Jack in her arms. She reaches the side of the water and pulls both herself and Jack out of the water. I move over to them and help her a bit. We lay Jack on his back. He doesn't breath or move. All of a sudden I remember something I once saw on TV.

"Let me try something." I sit down on my knees next to Jack and put me hands on his chest. I hope I'm doing this the the good way. I push firmly on his chest ten times. Next I put my hand under his chin to lift his head up a bit. With the other hand I keep his nose close.

"What are you doing?" Astrid asks.

"Mouth to mouth." I imagined this moment to be a bit different. Somewhere warm and romantic, not as last chance to save his life, and absolutely not wet and cold. I take a deep breath and bend down to his mouth. As our lips touch I blow all the oxygen in his lungs. His lips feel like ice. I get back up again and push on his chest another ten times. I push his head up again and take another deep breath. When I push another ten time my hope is lost.

All of a sudden Jack starts to cough up water and spits it all out. A huge weight falls off my shoulders. I look at Astrid and smile. She looks at me and smiles just as brightly. Jack lies back down and breathes slowly.

"Jack? Are you okay?" He opens his eyes and looks at me.

"Hiccup? What happ- Argh." He clutches to his side with his hand. But he is far to weak to finish his movement. I take a look for him and Astrid looks as well. I see his sweater is cut at his side. I move the cloth out of the way and look at what's behind. There is a trail of four inches of red blood on his side.

* * *

_End of the chapter. Did you like it? Hope so. Thank you all for reading so far._

_Write y'all next time_

_Kylono_


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